Button.



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WALTER T. ABEL, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE PATENT BUTTON COMPANY, OF WATERB'URY, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CCNNECTIC'UT.

BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented a a, ram.

Application filed April 28, 1916. Serial No. 94,089.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Vthm'rnn T. ABEL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have made and invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in buttons, and more particularly to that kind or style generally known and referred to as bachelor buttons, comprising a button and a fastener adapted to be engaged therewith by a slight pressure of the lingers, and without the use of the ordinary button setting tools. I

A. serious objection against the use of buttons of this kind as previously constructed, is the tendency of the fastener to work loose from the but-ton, permitting the latter to become disengaged from the cloth or fabric to which it is attached. It is my purpose to overcome this objection, and to so construct the button that all danger of its becoming disengaged or Working loose from the fastener will be avoided.

A further object is to provide a holding key so constructed as to engage a twoprong fastener and prevent the same from becoming detached and working loose from the button, although it rock and pivot in a plane at right angles to the plane of the two prongs.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds, wherein it is to be understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit thereof.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in cross section of my improved button, the wedge or key being shown in elevation;

Fig. 2 is a similar View, the wedge or key being partially turned in the hub of the button;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the same taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4: is a sectional view showing the button in position'while being attached to the cloth or fabric;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the button after being attached;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the button, the prongs of the fastener being shown in sectlon.

Referring specifically to the several views, the body or shell 1 is provided with the top plate 2, and the neck 3. Within the hub 3 is contained a sleeve 4, outwardly flared or flanged at its upper end onto the shell 1, so as to retain it in engagement therewith, and at its lower edge provided with the flange 5, to serve as a base to rest against the cloth or fabric when the button is attached thereto, said neck and sleeve form ing the hub of the button, which, as shown, is preferably slightly tapered.

While in practice I have constructed the button as above described, yet I would have it understood that I do not in any way limit my invention to the details thereof, as without further description or illustration it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the sleeve 4: may be omitted, and the lower edge of the hub of the button flanged outwardly, to form the base, as in the case of buttons as now ordinarly constructed.

Within the button is contained a locking key 6, preferably formed of round wire, cut to proper length, and of such diameter that when slightly pricked or punched at its upper edge or periphery, the resulting projection 7 will prevent it from dropping through the hub when the parts are assembled.

On two sides of the locking key the wire is sheared ofi' to form the inclined faces 8, these faces being at the same time provided with the transverse ribs 9. With the button as thus constructed, I use a fastener or staple comprising a head 10, formed with two arms or prongs 11, the ends of which are prefer ably pointed, in order that they may easily and readily pierce their way through the cloth or fabric 12 to which the button is to be attached.

In practice, the prongs of the fastener are forced through the cloth and enter the button between the hub and the ribbed faces 8 of the locking key. By pressing on the head of the fastener in one direction and the plate 2 of the button in the opposite direction, the locking key is carried up against said plate and the prongs slightly bent in an outward direction, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. The pressure upon the button and fastener is then released, and a slight downward Inovementof the key will result I in the forced binding of the prongs between the key and the hub, and the ribs upon the inclined faces of the locking key Will be forced into the surface of the prongs. As the staple or fastener is rocked in a plane at right I angles to the plane including the prongs, the transversely extending ribs, and the corresponding indentations formed in the prongs, prevent the prongs from gradually working down the inclined faces of the locking key. As the fastener is rocked, the ribs cause the prongs to slightly raise at that side of the -prong remote from the side of the prong upon which the fastener pivots; thus as the fastener returns to its original position, the indentations formed in the prongs will again become seated between the ribs of the locking key and occupy the same position as before the fastener was rocked or shifted.

From the above it will be apparent that the rocking action in the plane at right angles to the two prongs of the fastener, will not cause the fastener to gradually become detached from the button, as is the case where the sides of the locking key are either smooth or irregularly roughened or corrugated in a direction other than transverse.

The head 10 of the fastener is provided with an opening 13 through which a blunt instrument may be passed, and the locking key 6 forcibly driven from its seated position within the indentations formed in the prongs of the fastener.

What I claim is 1. A button provided with a hub and containing a locking key, said key provided with tapered sides with ribs extending thereacross in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction in which the button fastener is inserted in the button hub.

2. A button comprising a hub, and a looking key therein, said locking key formed with two inclined faces provided with ribs extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction in which the fastener is inserted in the hub, and a fastener adapted to be clamped between said key and the hub.

3. A button comprising a hollow hub, a locking key contained therein and provided with an inclined face, a fastener having a prong extending between the hub and the inclined face of the key, the inclined face of the key provided with corrugations thereon extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the said prong, said corrugations adapted to indent and corrugate the prong of the fastener when forcibly inserted between said key and hub, the transverse corrugations upon the key preventing the disengagement of the fastener when transversely rocked.

4. A button comprising a hollow hub, a locking key contained therein and provided with two inclined faces, a fastener consisting of a head and two spaced prongs, said prongs adapted to fit between the hub and the inclined faces of the locking key, said inclined faces of the locking key provided with corrugations extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the length of the prongs and adapted to indent the faces of said prongs as the fastener is forcibly inserted in the hub.

5. A button comprising a hollow hub, a. locking key contained therein and provided. with two inclined faces, a fastener consisting of a head and two spaced prongs, said prongs adapted to fit between the hub and the inclined faces of the locking key, said inclined faces of the locking key provided with corrugations extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of the length of the prongs and adapted to indent the faces of said prongs as the fastener is forcibly inserted in the hub, said head provided with an opening intermediate the said prongs, rendering accessible the key and allowing it to be driven out of locking engagement with said prongs.

Signed at Waterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 25th day of April A. D. 1916.

WALTER T. ABEL.

Witnesses:

G. A. Krrnon, G. E. SPARADOSKI.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent,

' Washington, D. 0. 

